The Las Cruces Chamber Ballet's annual presentation of "Nutcracker Ballet" continues to evolve in its 34th year. New this year will be extra acts that include hip-hop, jazz, Celtic, tap and contemporary dance through a collaboration with Michele's Dance Academy.

The newly named "Nutcracker Ballet with Christmas Spectacular" will be an abridged version of the holiday classic, but will still include everyone’s favorite characters like the Sugar Fairy and the Snow Queen, along with Clara and Fritz, Herr Drosselmeyer and the Rat King — and perhaps even a surprise visit from Santa Claus.

“This collaboration has opened up an opportunity for more stage time for students,” said Kevin Self, owner of Michele’s Dance Academy. Before her death in 2006, Michele Self, founder of the LCCB and Michele’s Dance Academy and Kevin’s former wife, had envisioned adding holiday dances to the production in order to provide an opportunity for young dancers whose talents extend beyond classical ballet.

It will also be an opportunity for a performance from the Oñate High School chorus under the direction of Ryan Feldman.

Chaley Cartwright, 12, who dances as Clara, says she has enjoyed her solo performances, but admits an extra layer of nerves serving as a role model for the younger students at the academy. “Sometimes you mess up, but you try your best and you try harder,” she said.

Audrey Pelayo, this year’s Snow Queen, feels the same pressure, but has gained endurance. “There’s a lot of pain, but now I have pain tolerance and almost feel like I can do anything,” she said.

Pelayo, 17, has danced for 13 years and still has to convince her friends to understand how hard she works at her art. “They ask me, ‘Are you really a ballerina?’ and I say, ‘Yes, of course,’” she laughed.

Pelayo said all the work and nerves are worth it. “When you get off stage, you want to get right back on,” she said.

Bob Diven, as the Rat King, and Chaley Cartwright as Clara, from "Nutcracker Ballet and Christmas Spectacular."(Photo: Courtesy)

No stranger to the stage and art in many forms, Bob Diven is making his dance debut as the Rat King. He just started in an adult ballet class, and was recently approached by Kevin and Laura Self to join the cast.

“My job is to terrify Clara,” Diven said. “I don’t consider myself a dancer, but I do have the grace of an enthusiastic moose.”

Diven said the “the spectacle” of his dance performance will bring family from far and wide to town.

The holiday play is a family tradition, said Aly Bower, the Sugar Plum Fairy. “It brings families together and gets them in the Christmas spirit," she said.

For Tiffany Hohle, who stars as Herr Drosselmeyer, dancing with LCCB is both a responsibility and a homecoming.

Hohle started her dance career at Michele’s when she was 3 years old, and, she credits a majority of her success to her time there. “This was my happy place,” she said.

Hohle became a professional dancer and spent time dancing in places like Las Vegas and Japan. When she came back to Las Cruces two years ago to take care of her ailing father, Hohle rejoined LCCB and was scheduled to perform in the "Nutcracker" that December. However, her father was on his deathbed on the eve of the performance.

“He knew what dance meant to me, so he told me to go dance,” Hohle said. “It was the hardest performances I ever did, but I knew I had the support of my dance family to carry me.”